Apparatus for turning advancing flat workpieces in their plane of travel,from a longitudinal to a transverse attitude

ABSTRACT

THE APPARATUS COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF TWO-PART TURNING DEVICES, WHICH HAVE UPPER PARTS THAT HAVE THE SAME PITCH AS THE TUBE SECTIONS AND ARE SECURED TO AN UPPER CHAIN OR SIMULAR CONVEYOR ELEMENT, WHICH REVOLVES ABOVE THE PLANE OF TRAVEL OF THE TUBE SECTIONS AT THE SAME SPEED AS THE LATTER, AND LOWER PARTS, WHICH HAVE THE SAME PITCH AND ARE CARRIED BY A LOWER CHAIN OR THE LIKE, WHICH REVOLVES BELOW THE PLANE OF TRAVEL AS THE TUBE SECTIONS AND AT THE SAME SPEED OF THE LATTER. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ADJACENT COURSE OF THE TWO REVOLING CHAINS IS SUCH THAT THE TURNTABLES OF THE PARTS OF THE TURNING DEVICES ENGAGE THE TUBE SECTIONS FROM ABOVE AND BELOW AND GRIP THE TUBE SECTIONS AS SAID PARTS MOVE AROUND THE SPOCKET WHEELS. AT LEAST ONE OF THE TURNTABLES IS TURNED THROUGH 90* AS ITS CONTINUES TO MOVE SO THAT THE TUBE SECTIONS AREW TURNED FROM A LONGITUDINAL ATTITUDE TO A TRANSVERSE ONE WHILE THEY ARE MOVED JOINTLY WITH THE TURNTABLES.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Kurt Rochla Merschweg, Germany [2]] Appl. No. 778,576 [22] Filed Nov. 25, 1968 [45] Patented June 28, 1971 [73] Assignee Windmoller H. Holscher [32] Priority Nov. 29, 1967 ['33] Germany l P 15 86 347.5

[54] APPARATUS FOR TURNING ADVANCING FLAT WORKPIECES IN THEIR PLANE 0F TRAVEL, FROM A LONGITUDINAL TO A TRANSVERSE ATTITUDE 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 198/33 I [51] Int. Cl t 865g 47/24 [50] Field of Search 198/33 (R1); 198/33, 33 (R2), 180; 271/49; 93/33 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,189,158 6/1965 Lucas l98/33(R2) 3,269,516 8/1966 Lucas r. 3,366,221 1/1968 Preisig Primary Examiner- Evon C, Blunk Assistant Examiner-Alfred N. Goodman Atwmey-Fleit, Gipple & Jacobson ABSTRACT: The apparatus comprises a plurality of two-part turning devices, which have upper parts that have the same pitch as the tube sections and are secured to an upper chain or similar conveyor element, which revolves above the plane of travel of the tube sections at the same speed as the latter, and lower parts, which have the same pitch and are carried by a lower chain or the like, which revolves below the plane of travel as the tube sections and at the same speed of the latter. The distance between the adjacent courses of the two revolving chains is such that the turntables of the parts of the turning devices engage the tube sections from above and below and grip the tube sections as said parts move around the sprocket wheels. At least one of the turntables is turned through 90 as it continues to move so that the tube sections are turned from a longitudinal attitude to a transverse one while they are moved jointly with the turntables.

PATENTFH JUN? 8 I97! SHUT 2 OF 8 N W WP W Q m APPARATUS FOR TURNING ADVANCING FLAT WORKPIECES IN THEIR PLANE F TRAVEL, FROM A LONGITUDINAL TO A TRANSVERSE ATTITUDE The starting material for making bags consists of webs of paper or plastics material sheeting, which are wound to form rolls and subsequently formed into a continuous tubing, or extruded continuous plastics material tubing. Tube sections are severed from this tubing and are fed in their longitudinal direction toward the end-laying machine, in which the ends of the tube sections are laid. The severed tube sections are initially moved in their longitudinal direction. Most standard end-laying machines, particularly those in which both ends of the tube section are laid or heat-sealed at the same time, must be supplied with the tube sections in a transverse attitude. Hence, the tube sections must be turned from a'longitudinal attitude into a transverse one. This turning has previously been accomplished in that the tube sections were gathered in stacks, which were turned through 90 and subsequently supplied to the end-laying machine, or the tubing and the cutting apparatus were arranged to extend transversely to the feeding direction of the end Iaying machine. Both of the above-mentioned methods preclude a continuous operation. The stacking method requires additional manual work for turning the stacks and can only be used with tube sections of paper because tube sections of plastics material sheeting cannot be singled from stacks by machine as reliably as is required. The transverse arrangement of the tubing requires a change by 90 in the direction in which the tube sections are fed. This change involves a loss of time.

The known methods involve manual work or a reduction of the production speed in the making of bags.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus by which the tube sections are turned during their advance from a longitudinal attitude into a transverse one so that the tube material can move along a straight line from the supply roll directly to the end-laying machines.

The invention is characterized by a plurality of two-part turning devices, which have upper parts that have the same pitch as the tube sections and are secured to an upper chain or similar conveyor element, which revolves above the plane of travel of the tube sections and at the same speed as the latter and lower parts, which have the same pitch and are carried by a lower chain or the like, which revolves below the plane of travel of the tube sections at the speed of the latter, the distance between the adjacent courses of the two revolving making of bags from a longitudinal attitude into a transverse chains being such that the turntables of the parts of the turning devices engage the tube sections from above and below and grip the same as said parts move around the sprocket wheels, and at least one of the turntables being turned through 90 as it continues to move so that the tube sections are turned from a longitudinal attitude into a transverse one while they are moved jointly with the turntables.

The chains which carry the parts of the turning devices are disposed between the crosscutter, which severs the tube sections from the tubing, and the end-laying machine, so that the turntables grip the tube sections while the same are in a longitudinal attitude and during their further straight line advance turn them through 90 into a transverse attitude, in which they move subsequently through the end-laying machine. As the tube sections are turned while they are advanced, there will be no loss of time and the end-laying machine can be operated at a high production rate.

The use of the turning device is not restricted to the turning of tube sections. This device may be used, e.g., to turn finished bags which are to be stacked and packaged.

Two embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example on the drawings, in which FIG. la. is a diagrammatic side elevation showing apparatus for turning tube sections for use in the making of bags from a longitudinal attitudeinto a transverse one. In this apparatus, the tube sections are turned about their center, which is the intersection of their diagonals.

FIG. lb is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the right half of the apparatus for turning tube sections for use in the one. In this apparatus, the tube sections are turned about their center, which is the intersection of their diagonals.

FIG. 2a is a top plan view showing the apparatus of FIG. In.

FIG. 2b is a top plan view showing the apparatus of FIG. 1b.

FIG. 3a is a diagrammatic left half of the top plan view showing a different embodiment of the apparatus for turning the tube sections. In this apparatus, alternate tube sections are turned to the right and left about one of their corners.

FIG. 3b is a diagrammatic right half of the top plan view showing a different embodiment of the apparatus for turning the tube sections. In this apparatus, alternate tube sections are turned to the right and left about one of their corners.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IV-IV in FIG. 5 and showing parts of the turning devices.

FIG. 5 is an elevation taken from line V-C in FIG. 4 and showing parts of the turning devices.

The apparatus consists essentially of a plurality of two-part turning devices 1 and 2. The upper parts 1 are spaced apart by the pitch 1 of the tube sections S supplied to the apparatus in the direction of travel a and are secured to an upper chain 5, 5', which revolves around chain sprockets 3, 3' and 4, 4' above the plane of travel of the tube sections at the speed of travel of the tube sections. The lower parts 2 are spaced apart by the same pitch distance t and carried by a lower chain 6, 6', which revolves around the chain sprockets 7, 7' and 8, 8' below the plane of travel of the tube sections and also at the same speed of the latter. The chain sprockets 4, 4' and 8, 8' are interconnected by the gears 9, l0 and 11, 12 to rotate in opposite senses and move the adjacent courses of their chains 5, 5' and 6, 6' in the direction of travel a of the tube sections. The chain sprockets 4, 4 and 8, 8 are driven by the gear 13, as shown by FIG. lb as for example from the end-laying machine, not shown. The vertical distance between the chain sprockets 3, 3 and 7,7 and between the chain sprockets 4,4 and 8, 8', as well as the distance x between the adjacent chain courses, are selected so that the turntables 14, 15 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the parts 1, 2 of the turning devices engage the tube sections S from above and below and grip the same as the parts 1 and 2 of the turning devices move around the chain sprockets 3, 3' and 7,7. During their common travel the tube sections advance in the direction of travel a while the turntables are rotated to turn the tube sections through During this rotation, the tube sections S are supported by a deck 75, which is disposed between the chain sprockets 3, 3' and 4, 4' and has a slot 76, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b through which the lower parts 2 of the turning devices can extend.

As has been previously mentioned hereinbefore, the turning devices consist of an upper part 1 and a lower part 2. Their design is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The upper part 1 of each turning device has a carrying member 16, which is secured to the upper chain, which consists preferably of a double chain comprising two parallel individual chains 5, 5'. The carrying member is disposed between the two individual chains to ensure a central action of the tensile force of the chain on the carrying member. The carrying member 16 is provided with lateral guide ribs 17, 18, which while moving in the lower chain course slide between stationary guide rails 19, 20 and 21, 22. The guide rails extend parallel to the lower chain courses of the individual chains 5, 5 between the chain sprockets 3, 3' and 4, 4 and ensure a reliable guidance of the carrying member during its forward movement in the direction a in the lower course. A slide member 23 is vertically displaceably mounted in the carrying member 16 and is held by a spline 24 against rotation. Rollers 25, 25' are provided at the upper end of the slide member. Cams 26, 26' and 27, 27 as shown in FIGS. la and lb are disposed adjacent to the chain sprockets 3, 3' and 4, 4 and associated with the rollers 25, 25'. The turntable 14 has a shaft 28, which is slidably and rotatably mounted in the slide member 23. A compression spring 29 bears at one end on a thrust bearing 30, which is carried by the turntable 14, and at the other end on the carrying member 16. The descent of the turntable 14 is limited by the set collar 31 mounted on the upper end portion of the turntable shaft. The cam 26, 26' is shaped and arranged so that the slide member 23 and the turntable 14 will be raised against the pressure of the spring 29 by a few millimeters when the rollers 25, 25' of the slide member engage the runup face 32 of the cam and before the part 1 of the turning device disengages the chain sprocket 3, 3', so that the slide member remains in this raised position until the part 1 of the turning device have moved from the chain sprocket 3, 3 into the lower course, in which the surface of the plate 14 is parallel to the tube sections S. The rundown face 33 of the cam 26, 26' then permits of a descent of the slide member 23 so that the turntable 14 engages the tube section S at right angles under the stress of the spring 29. The lifting of the turntable 14 avoids an engagement of its leading edge with the tube section as the turntable enters the lower course, as such engagement might result in an undesired displacement of the tube section. The cam 27, 27 as shown in FIG.'1b adjacent to the chain sprocket 4, 4' is similar and symmetrical to the cam 26, 26' and lifts the turntable 14 from the tubing at right angles thereto before the turning device reaches the chain sprocket 4, 4' so that the trailing edge of the turntable cannot engage the tube section when the part 1 of the turning device reaches the chain sprocket 4, 4.

The carrying member 34 of the lower part 2 of the turning device is secured to the lower chain 6, 6', which just as the upper chain consists of a double chain having two parallel individual chains 6, 6'. The carrying member 34 has lateral guide ribs 35, 36, which when moving in the upper course of the chain slide between stationary guide rails 37, 38 and 39, 40, which are parallel to the upper courses of the individual chains 6, 6 and extend between the associated chain sprockets 7, 7' and 8, 8". The shaft 41 of the turntable is mounted in the carrying member 34. A crank 42 is secured to the lower end portion of the axis and carries a roller 43, which extends from above into the cam groove 44 formed in a stationary cam member 45, which is adjacent to the upper course of the chain. As is indicated in FIGS. 2a and 2b the cam member 45 extends between the chain sprockets 7, 7 and 8, 8 at an oblique angle to the direction of travel a so that the crank 42 and the turntable 15 connected to it are positively constrained to perform a rotation through 90 as the roller 43 moves in the cam groove 44 throughout its length. Another stationary cam member 46 is disposed above the associated lower chain course and has a cam groove which is exactly parallel to the cam groove 44 of the upper cam member 45. As the part 2 of the turning device revolves around the chain sprocket 8, 8', the roller 43 of the crank 42 slides into the cam groove of the lower cam member 46 and is turned back through 90 to its initial position as the part 2 of the turning device moves in the lower course. To ensure the movement of the roller 43 into the cam grooves 45,46, the carrying member 34 has a brake bushing 47, which is under the pressure of the brake spring 48 tending to hold the end face of the bushing 47 against the crank 42 so that the rotation of the crank is braked to such an extent that a spontaneous rotation of the crank during the movement of the part 2 of the turning device around the chain sprockets 7, 7' and 8, 8' is prevented. The turntable 15 consists of a narrow strip, which when entering the upper course of the chain does not significantly engage the tube section S with its leading longitudinal edge portion. The tube-engaging surfaces of both turntables 14,15 are provided with friction facings 49,50, e.g., of foamed rubber. The friction facing 50 of the freely rotatable upper turntable 14 is preferably annular so that the tube section will be reliably gripped by the edge of the turntables. The chains 5, 5' and 6, 6' are so coordinated by the gears 11,12 that the parts 1, 2 of the turning devices combine to form complete turning devices in the plane of travel of the tube sections S and in that phase grip the tube sections S between their turntables 14,15 and during the joint travel in the direction a turn the tube sections though 90 by means of the crank 42 and the associated cam members 45,46. The turning movement will depend on the distance travelled by the tube sections. That distance may be selected so that the angular velocity of the tube sections is so low that large tube sections can also be turned without difficulty. It will also be possible to provide means for turning the turntables of the upper part of each turning device through whereas the turntables of the lower parts of the turning devices are freely rotatable and forced against the upper turntables.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1a and b, and 2a and b, the apparatus which has just been described extends in the vertical center plane 15-15 of the incoming tube sections S, which are supplied with a constant pitch to the apparatus by the belt conveyor 51, and the turntables 14,15 of the apparatus grip the tube sections exactly at their center, at the intersection of the diagonals. To enable an adjustment of the apparatus to different tube sizes to be processed, a feed control chain consisting of at least two parallel individual chains 52,53 is associated with the receiving end of the apparatus, and stops 54,55 extending into the path of travel of the incoming tube sections S and engageable by them and spaced apart by the pitch t of the turning devices I, and 2 are secured to the feed control chain. The feed control chain 52,53 revolves around the chain sprockets 56, 56' and 57, 57 in the direction of travel a at the speed at which the chains 5, 5' and 6, 6' for advancing the turning devices 1, 2 revolve. To ensure this synchronism, the chain sprockets 8, 8' and 56, 56' are operatively connected by the connecting shafts 58, 59, 60 and the bevel gear trains 61, 62. A differential 63 is incorporated in the connecting shaft 59. The pinions 64,65 of the differential are mounted in a worm wheel 66, which is concentric with the shaft 59 and rotatable by a handwheel 68 and a worm 67. A rotation of the worm wheel 66 will cause a rotation of the chain sprockets 56, 56' relative to the chain sprockets 8, 8 and 4, 4. This causes a revolving movement of the chains 52,53 relative to the chains 5, 5' and 6, 6' so that the distance y from the stops 54,55 to the axis of rotation of the turning devices 1, and 2 is changed. This distance controls at the same time the distance of the axis about which the tube section S is turned from the leading edge of said tube section, which edge engages the stops 54,55. The distance y must thus be exactly equal to one half of the length of the tube section S in the direction of travel a so that the axis of rotation is exactly at the center of the tube section. The belt conveyor 51 for feeding the tube sections to the apparatus consists of a plurality of individual belts and moves in the direction of travel a at a higher speed then the feed control chains 52,53 so that the leading edge of each incoming tube section S will reliably engage the stops 54,55 and will thus be aligned exactly at right angles to the direction of travel a.

A belt conveyor 70 consisting of a plurality of individual belts is provided at the delivery end of the apparatus and removes the tube sections which have been turned through 90 and released by the turntables 14,15. A stop-carrying chain is associated with the belt conveyor 70 and revolves at a lower speed than the latter. The tube sections engage the stops 73,74 carried by the chain 71,72 and are aligned exactly at right angles to the direction of travel a. In this way any position errors which may have been imparted to the tube sections by the turning thereof will be subsequently corrected.

When the tube sections S have been severed from the supply roll, e.g., on an unwinding and crosscutting apparatus, they are singled on the high-speed belt conveyor 51 and are fed to the apparatus in an exactly centered position and with a longitudinal attitude. The leading edge of each tube section engages the stops 54,55 of the feed control chain 52,53, which revolves at a lower speed and aligns the leading edge to extend exactly at right angles to the direction of travel a and reduces the pitch of the tube sections exactly to the pitch t of the turning devices 1, and 2 and causes the tube section to reach the turning device 1, and 2 with a portion which is spaced from the leading edge of the tube section by a distance y which is exactly one-half of the length of the tube section. The turning devices move in the direction of travel a at the same speed. The turntables 14,15 of the turning devices 1, 2 engage the tube sections exactly at the center thereof from above and below and during their travel in the direction a are caused to rotate through 90 by their cranks 42 and the stationary cam member 45 so that the tube sections laying on the deck 75 are turned through 90 from their original longitudinal attitude to a transverse attitude. This is particularly clearly apparent from FIGS. 2a and 2b. When the turning devices have reached the delivery end of the apparatus, their turntables 14,15 disengage the tube sections and the tube sections are delivered to the belt conveyor 70, which exactly aligns the tube sections by means of the stop-carrying chain 71,72 and feeds the tube section to the end-laying machine.

The turning of the tube sections about their center with the aid of the arrangement which has been described has the advantage that the transverse center plane of the tube sections which have been turned into a transverse attitude lies exactly in the center plane E-E of the path of travel and the tube material is reliably advanced along a straight line from the supply roll to the end-laying machine. By an adjustment of the distance y, the axis on which the tube sections are turned may be located so that the transverse center plane of the turned tube sections extends parallel to the center plane E-E of the path of travel and at a desired distance therefrom. Such a turning of the tube sections out of the center plane of the path of travel will be desirable, e.g., when the plant layout requires that the end-laying machine is laterally offset from the supply roll and the crosscutting device for the tubing.

The arrangement shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b comprises two chain conveyors 77,78, which are provided with turning devices 1, and 2 and which are similar in structure and operation to the chain conveyor 5, 5' and 6, 6' which carries turning devices I, and 2 and has been described. The two chain conveyors 77,78 are symmetrically arranged and extend parallel to the center plane -5 of the path of travel with a spacing Z from each other so that their turning devices 1, 2 engage one corner of each tube section S. The pitch T of the turning device is twice the pitch 1 of the tube sections S, which are supplied in a longitudinal attitude. The chain conveyors 77,78 are relatively offset by the pitch 1 and the stationary cam members 79,80 which control the rotation of the turning devices are arranged so that the conveyors 77,78 rotate the tube sections through 90 in opposite senses.

In this arrangement the two conveyors 77,78 engage alternate tube sections at a forward corner thereof. The conveyor 77 turns those tube sections which are gripped by it through 90 in the counterclockwise sense from the center plane E of the path of travel into the center plane E1 of the path of travel. The conveyor 78 turns those tube sections which are gripped by it through 90 in the clockwise sense into the lateral center plane E2 of the path of travel. In the arrangement of FIG. 3, two rows of tube sections are thus formed, which are advanced in a transverse attitude by conveyors which are not shown. Each of the latter conveyors feeds a succeeding end-laying machine with one-half of all tube sections initially supplied. In such an arrangement, the high capacity of the apparatus which withdraws the tubing from the supply roll and cuts off the tube sections can be utilized more favorably than in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The means for rotating the turntables may alternatively consist, e.g., of small electric motors, which are rotatable through a limited angle of 90 and which have a restoring spring for returning the armature of the motor to its initial position when the motor has been deenergized. The turning movement ofthe electric motors may be braked, e.g., by an oil cataract so that the turning movement is sufficiently slow and uniform, even when large tube sections are being handled.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for turning advancing flat workpieces substantially 90 in their plane of travel, comprising two opposing conveyors adapted to revolve in vertical planes, each of said conveyors having a plurality of turning members, each of said turning members comprising a turning shaft and a turning plate, said turning members being arranged on said conveyors to match in said plane of travel so as to hold one of said workpieces between two of the matching turnin members each turning member of one of said conveyors furt er comprising a driving crank controlled by cams for the turning of said turning plate, each turning member of the other one of said conveyors having turning plates being mounted to rotate freely and comprising means for lowering and lifting said turning plate so as to engage and release one of said workpieces.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said turning shaft of each freely rotatable turning member is mounted in an associated slide member, said slide member being mounted in a carrying member of one part of the apparatus for displacement in the direction of said turning shaft to prevent rotation, said slide member carrying rollers which roll on cams disposed adjacent the ends of said conveyors.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said conveyors consist of parallel double chains, the individual chains thereof being secured to opposite sides of said carrying members of said turning members.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising delivering means for supplying said workpieces and feed control chains associated with the receiving end of said conveyors, said feed control chains comprising stops having the same pitch as said turning members and extending into the path of travel of said workpieces, said feed control chains revolving in synchronism with said conveyors and the speed of said feed control chains being lower than that of said delivery means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said feed control chains are adapted to be revolved relative to said conveyors to enable an adjustment to different workpiece sizes.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lower one of said conveyors and said feed control chains comprises driving chain spockets interconnected by connecting shafts, bevel gear trains and an interposed differential.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a belt conveyor for removing the workpieces, said workpieces having been turned through and stop chains which are associated with said belt conveyor and revolve at lower speeds than said belt conveyor.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said turning members are disposed in the center line of the path of travel of said delivery means and said belt conveyor so that said turning plates engage said workpieces at their center.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising two addi tional conveyors carrying a plurality of turning member, said original conveyors and additional conveyors being symmetrically arranged to the center plane of said path of travel and extending parallel thereto and having a spacing from each other to allow their turning members to engage said workpieces at a comer thereof, the pitch of said turning members being twice the pitch of said workpieces fed in a longitudinal attitude, said original conveyors and additional conveyors being offset by the pitch of said workpieces and said control cams arranged so that said original conveyors and additional conveyors turn said workpieces through 90 in opposite senses. 

